She was my rich hilled and side cliffed woman br whose shapes I knew so well, br like the green waves of home. br br We had babes together br tucked into wool-lined cots under a safe hedge, br and solstices smiled on us with breaths of wind br on a still night. br br And you stole her br As friends sometimes do. br br In another time br I would have split you forehead to pelvis br a final deep swing of family heritage br a bitter two-handed sword br graced by our strong, down-armed rising rage, br teeth clenched, hard staring eyes, br and a wild shout of rock splitting triumph, br after you had slipped that thin sparkling grey knife br between my ribs. br br But now I am older looking back, br and its true I had lost her specific person earlier br not realizing, loving her in general br with warm intense and a genuine habit br and not a hint, poor man, br from overwork that this was so. br br You gave her something, br a new sense of herself br amongst all the pain and confusion; br and when I was split in half br out flew saw-toothed bats grinning from dark caves br leaving centuries of dust and nose-biting dried droppings, br out crawled giant lizards hinged sideways, br on hind legs at the entrance of my heart br beating their chests in rage; br and slowly, a dragon, old and rheumy, br turning his head from side to side br viewed the strange world of light br with mist creeping upward from a slightly opened mouth. br br They flew away, all of them, br after a time of many returns, br and when we cleaned up together br (she had returned) br over several years, br there sat a glowing dark cup of blood-agate br on the quiet ground br in the middle of the cave br with crystal stalactites hanging high above br sparkling in an unseen light.br br Melcrum A.